Welcome: –

Call to Worship: – 

(from 2 Samuel 23: 3 to 5) 

“The God of Israel has spoken,” said King David, “the protector of Israel said to me: ’The King who rules with justice, who rules in obedience to God, is like the Sun shining on a cloudless dawn, the Sun that makes the grass sparkle after rain.’  And that is how God will bless my descendants, because He has made an eternal covenant with me, an agreement that will not be broken, a promise that will not be changed.  That is all I desire; … and God will surely bring it about.”

Comment on 2 Samuel 23 

With these words David emphasises the power of God as the protector of those He loves, he emphasises the purpose of God in establishing an eternal covenant with those He loves, he emphasises the passion of God in seeking to bless those He loves, and he emphasises the privilege that is ours to be part of that promise.  Above all, David confidently declares that “God will surely bring it about”.

  Three things stand out about God above all else:

      God’s sovereign power as Creator and sustainer of all life,

      God’s moral expectation for all leaders and rulers to govern others with justice and righteousness, and

      God’s abiding and unconditional faithfulness towards Humanity.

  These same attributes have been used since the time of the early Church to affirm for us the character of Jesus Christ and his ministry on Earth, Jesus

      Who was raised to power,

      Who rules justly, and

      Who bears God’s abiding commitments to Humanity.

(Walter Brueggemann in First and Second Samuel p347)

  That is the attitude of hope and trust in a God who loves and cares for us that is ours as we gather here today for worship.

Prayer of Praise  

(from Liturgies on-line, Nathan Nettleton and BD Prewer) 

  Almighty God, we praise and adore you.  You are truly without beginning or end.  Your reign is eternal and your being all-powerful, and yet you chose to reveal your power in the most powerless and vulnerable manner – as a baby.  As you shared our humanity in Jesus, you gave the World a new understanding of power.  We know now that power is not to be used to dominate, but to serve others as Christ served.  He transformed the love of power by the power of love. 

  We wonder at the baby who the shepherds adored, and who the Magi worshipped.  We wonder at the hands that touched lepers, the arms that embraced little children, and the fingers that anointed blind eyes.  We wonder at the smile that welcomed outcastes, the frown that rebuked the arrogant, and the tongue that told parables of grace.  We wonder at the courage that led Jesus to Jerusalem, the faith that agonised in Gethsemane, and the love poured out on the hill of Golgotha.  We wonder at the lips that gave the first Easter greeting, the wounds that witnessed to his reality, and the Spirit which he breathed on his Disciples.  We wonder at his majesty, and the promise that he is here for us to the end of time.

  Though Jesus was accused of treason before Pilate and executed by his own Nation, he was the first born from the dead, raised by your power to free us from sin and to make us your holy people.  You gave him glory and dominion forever, and he rules over all with an authority that comes, not from this World, but from you, our God and our Rock.  We gather today to celebrate your rule of love in our hearts as we experience it in Jesus and through the enabling gift of your Spirit.  Most awesome God, help us to honour Christ our King through all the ups and downs of life, through all that we think and do and say.  All gratitude and thanksgiving, praise and glory be given to you for ever and ever.  Amen.

We sing Hymn No 201 in Scripture in Song volume 1

Leonard Smith

Prayer of Confession 

(from Liturgies on-line, Nathan Nettleton and BD Prewer) 

Merciful God, your grace reaches across races and nations, neither favouring the righteous alone nor despising the uncouth, as is the way that we so often do.  Your hopes for us are not deterred by our rebelliousness, our indifference nor our ignorance.

Forgive us for our wandering and going in ways that cut us off from you. 

Merciful God, we boast of our plans to achieve great things by our own efforts, yet these come to nothing because we have not sought to be your faithful stewards and servants. 

Forgive us for when we forget that doing your will is our greatest priority.

Merciful God, we confess our sins to you, knowing that you see our need to live holy and righteous lives much better than we do.  Please forgive not only the sins that we recognize, but also the many to which we are blind. 

Reveal to us our attempts to hide our faults from you, reprove our complicity with the evil that is present in the World around us, and renew within us the love for the powerless and the oppressed that was so evident in the way that Jesus Christ lived his life on Earth. 

Remind us, O God, that the power of the Holy Spirit enables us to witness to the values of your Kingdom in and through all we do and say, and that thankfully this power far exceeds any apathy or fear on our part. 

Renew us with your Spirit, O God, so that our lives testify to the truth of your Kingdom revealed so fully in Jesus Christ, the servant King, in whose name we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness  (from Revelation 1: 5b) 

The Apostle John assures us that Jesus Christ loves us and by his sacrificial death has freed us from our sins.  Having confessed our sins before God, and trusting in the grace of God freely made available to us, we can declare with confidence that God has listened to our prayers, that our sins are indeed forgiven and our lives cleansed in God’s sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination  (from Uniting in Worship Book 1 number 12 p599) 

  Prepare our hearts, O Lord, to receive your Word.  Silence in us any voice but your own.  In hearing these words may we perceive new truths that you seek to teach us, and may we perceive your will that you seek for us to follow, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Readings

Psalm 132:

11  (God) made a solemn promise to David – a promise (He) will not take back:

“I will make one of your sons King, and he will rule after you.

12  If your sons are true to my covenant and to the Commands I give them, their sons, also, will succeed you for all time as Kings.”

13  The Lord has chosen Zion; He wants to make it his home:

14  “This is where I will live forever; this is where I want to rule.

15  I will richly provide Zion with all she needs, I will satisfy her poor with food.

16  I will bless her priests in all they do, and her people will sing and shout for joy.

17  Here I will make one of David’s descendants a great King; here I will preserve the rule of my chosen King.

18  I will cover his enemies with shame, but his Kingdom will prosper and flourish.”

Revelation 1:

4  From John to the seven Churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace be yours from God, who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the

seven spirits in front of his throne,  5  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first to be raised from death and who is also the Ruler of the kings of the World.

He loves us, and by his sacrificial death he has freed us from our sins  6  and made us a Kingdom of priests to serve His God and Father.  To Jesus Christ be the glory and power, forever and ever!  Amen.

7  Look, he is coming on the clouds!  Everyone will see him, including those who pierced him.  All peoples on Earth will mourn over him.  So shall it be!

8  “I am the first and the last.”  says the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is to come.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

John 18:

33  Pilate went back into the palace and called Jesus.  “Are you the King of the Jews?” he asked Jesus.

34  Jesus answered, ”Does this question come from you or have others told you about me?”

35  Pilate replied, “Do you think I am a Jew?  It was your own people and the Chief Priests who handed you over to me.  What have you done?”

36  Jesus said, “My Kingdom does not belong to the World; if my Kingdom belonged to this World, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish Authorities.  No, my Kingdom does not belong here!”

37  So Pilate aske him, “Are you a King then?”

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a King.  I was born and came into the World for this one purpose, to speak about the truth.  Whoever belongs to the truth listens to me.”

38  “And what is truth?” Pilate asked.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

Whether we gather for worship in the Church building on Sunday morning, or whether we offer our worship in the ‘digital sphere’, it is important to recognise that, together, we remain one in Christ Jesus, we remain one in fellowship, and we remain one in worship of our God.  With that thought in mind, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and those in their homes:  May the peace of God be with you all.

And also with you.

For the Young at Heart

Screen 1

8-in-1 Light-Up Screwdriver

  This is an 8-in-1 Light-Up Screwdriver.  I received this as a Christmas gift a couple years ago.  I think it’s terrific.  It has four flat-blade screwdrivers and four Philipps-head screwdrivers, and a built-in light so you can see what you are doing.  It is all that I need for me to do the straightforward jobs around the house.  I don’t need to look around for any other screwdrivers.

Screen 2

“David, I will make one of your sons King, and he will rule after you.  If your sons are true to my Covenant and to the Commands I give them, their sons will succeed you for all time as Kings.”  Psalm 132: 11b & 12 

  Towards the end of the life of King David, God made a promise to him:

“David, I will make one of your sons King, and he will rule after you.  If your sons are true to my Covenant and to the Commands I give them, their sons will succeed you for all time as Kings.”  (Psalm 132: 11b & 12a, see also 2 Samuel 7: 12 and 2 Chronicles 6: 16) 

  This was a significant and meaningful promise for David, for it guaranteed that his influence over the life of the Kingdom of Israel would continue through his descendants, as they inherited the Kingship.  But it was a conditional promise made by God, conditional in the sense that God would fulfill his promise if, and only for as long as, the descendants of King David complied with their part of their Covenant Agreement with God.  The People of Israel made a Covenant Agreement with God, stating that He would be all that they needed in terms of a God to worship and a God to lead them in life.  They did not need to look around among the peoples of the surrounding Nations for any other god to worship.

  This arrangement seemed simple enough and looked like something with which the Kings and the People of Israel could comply and therefore guarantee the continued protection and blessing offered by God as His part of the Covenant Agreement.  But, alas, even King Solomon could not remain faithful to God and to the Covenant Agreement, as we read in 1 Kings 11: 4 and 33.  Furthermore, the majority of the Kings who were descendants of King David, along with the majority of the People of God, also were not faithful to God, for they wanted to look to the gods that were worshipped by the Peoples of the surrounding Nations to see what these gods could offer to them.  So God, in effect, said “Enough is enough!”, and, nearly 400 years after the death of King David, King Zedekiah, the last of the Kings of who were descended from King David, was sent into exile to Babylon.  From that time onwards to the present day, at no time has a descendant of King David ruled over the People of Israel.

  So, where does this leave God and His promise to King David.  Does it indicate a failure on the part of God to be able to fulfill His promise that He would continue to be the shepherd and saviour of the People of Israel?  Certainly not, for we should not underestimate the determination of God to fulfill His promises, nor the power of God to accomplish His Will and Purpose for Humanity, and for all that is in Heaven and Earth.

Screen 3

“Jesus … is the one that God has made Lord and Messiah!”  Acts 2: 36

  It was Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, who, being led by the Holy Spirit, explained to the crowd who had gathered around the Apostles, that Jesus Christ was the ultimate fulfillment of the promised descendant of King David, as mentioned in Psalm 132, a King who would remain faithful to God and to His Commands, and who would inherit the position of Ruler over God’s People, and who would rule for all time.  As Peter exclaimed to the crowd:

“Jesus … is the one that God has made Lord and Messiah!”  Acts 2: 36

  Where Humanity failed because of our physical and spiritual weakness, God succeeded because He is our Creator and sustainer, and because of God’s all-inclusive and inexhaustible grace and mercy towards us and towards all of Humanity.  Where Humanity failed because of our inabilities, God succeeded in His work in and through the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus Christ.

  The Apostle Paul, in his Letter to the Church in Philippi, explained that Jesus “was obedient all the way to his death on the cross”, and that it is to Jesus that “all beings in Heaven and on Earth will fall on their knees” in worship and adoration, to the glory of God.  (Philippians 2: 8 & 10 & 11) 

Screen 4

“God’s promise was made to you and your children … all whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.”  Acts 2: 39

  What is our response to all of this?  God has called us to Himself, as Peter explained to the crowd.  We do not need to look around for any other god to worship, for God is all that we need.  God is our ‘8-in-1 Light-Up Screwdriver’.  Let us respond with trust in the loving grace of God to forgive our sins and to restore our relationship with Him.  Let us respond with obedience to the loving commands of God to guide and to direct our renewed lives to His glory and honour 

We sing Hymn No TiS 267

Georg Weissel

translated by Catherine Winkworth

Sermon

  Today is the last Sunday in the Church Year.  Advent, the period leading up to Christmas, is seen as the beginning of the Church Year, and commences next Sunday.  Following the pattern set out in the Revised Common Lectionary, today is the Sunday when we celebrate what is titled, Christ the King or The Feast of Christ the King. 

Screen 1

Pope Pius XI

Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 6^th February 1922 to 10^th February 1939

    The celebration of this Day was instituted by Pope Pius XI through a Papal Encyclical dated 11/12/1925.  (Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals)  It was written at a time of great social and political change and upheaval in Europe.  Only 7 years had passed since the largest and the costliest military conflict in the history of Humanity, not only in terms of the loss of human life but also in terms of the loss of the religious and cultural and social fabric of communities.  Many of the Royal Houses in Europe had lost their position as Heads of State, and there were significant changes to the borders of many Countries.  There was a growing sense of Nationalism in many countries, and Dictatorships had arisen or were arising in some Nations, most noticeably Stalin in the Soviet Union, Mussolini in Italy and Hitler in Germany.

Screen 2

“These manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of (people) had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives”

Quas Primas paragraph 1  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals

  And perhaps Pope Pius XI had foreseen the violence and the waste and the devastation that lay barely 14 years in the future.  For in his introduction to his Encyclical, the Pope writes, “These manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of (people) had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these had no place in either (their) private affairs or in politics; and … that as long as individuals and states refused to submit to the rule of our savour, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations”.  (Quas Primas paragraph 1)  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals 

    Now I am not saying that there has not been any advancement in the subsequent 96 years since he issued his Encyclic, for there has been advances in many areas, in Education, in Science, in Medicine, in Literature, in Social and Cultural Understandings, in projects to eradicate disease and want, as well as in moves for Peace.  But, on the whole, there can be no disagreeing that, today, the majority of people in the World are still thrusting Jesus Christ out of their lives, that he has no place in either their private affairs or in their politics, and, consequently, and most significantly, given World events of recent months, there is still “no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations”.

    There is though another side as to why the Pope sought to introduce this Feast.  When the Nation of Italy was unified in 1849, the Vatican lost sovereignty of the former Papal States, as well as over the City of Rome, and it wasn’t until 1929, four years after Pope Pius XI’s Encyclical, that there was an agreement reached between the Italian Government and the Vatican as to the Vatican becoming an independent sovereign State.  So, perhaps the Pope was needling the Italian Government to hurry up and make an acceptable offer to the Vatican for an acceptable political solution to this issue.  In addition, the Feast was originally set down for the last Sunday in October.  This just happened to coincide with the anniversary of the date in 1517 when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the Church in Wittenberg, an event that is recognised as the start of the Protestant Reformation, and was the date on which many Protestant Churches chose to remember this occasion and to celebrate “Reformation Sunday”.  In his Encyclical, when Pope Pius XI referred to “the restoration of the Empire of Our Lord”  (Quas Primas paragraph 1)  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals  , he was meaning the restoration of the Roman Catholic Church, and perhaps he was hinting of a hope for many Countries to be “’won back’ to the Catholic name” and therefore of fulfilling the destiny of the Roman Catholic Church “to be spread among all (people) and all nations” and truly be “the kingdom of Christ on earth”.  (Quas Primas paragraphs 1 and 12)  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals    

    Pope Paul VI reformed the Roman Catholic calendar in 1969 and moved this Feast to its current place as the last Sunday in the Liturgical Year, and, in doing so, this Day has lost these meaningful links to the past.  The setting aside of a Sunday in the Liturgical Year to celebrate The Feast of Christ the King has subsequently been readily accepted by many Denominations Worldwide, for the opportunity it presents to focus discussion on the true nature of the Kingdom of God, and also to address “the real source of power and the real nature of Power”.  (Rev Dr Andrew McGowan in a Sermon preached at Christ Church South Yarra on 20 November 2005) 

Screen 3

Pilate asked Jesus “Are you the King of the Jews?”.  John 18: 33 

    Jesus Christ stood before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Procurator or Governor of the Province of Judea.  Jesus had been accused by the Jewish leaders and officials of Jerusalem of claiming to be “The King of the Jews”, a treasonable offence given that there could only be one ruler of Judea, the Roman Emperor.  So, quite reasonably, Pilate sought to discover the circumstance surrounding this accusation.  “Are you the King of the Jews?  What have you done?” he asks of Jesus.  (John 18: 33, 35)  And Jesus replies “My Kingdom does not belong to this world; .. my Kingdom does not belong here!”  (John 18: 36)  , not so much denying the accusations made against him, but seeking to differentiate the nature of his Kingdom from the nature of Earthly Kingdoms.

    What proof does Jesus offer to back up his claim?  In today’s passage from John 18 we read of Jesus saying to Pilate, “if my Kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities.”  In Matthew 26 we read of Jesus admonishing Peter at the time when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Peter struck out with his sword at the servant of the High Priest.  “Put your sword back in its place,” he says to Peter, ”Don’t you know that I could call on my Father for help, and at once he would send me more than 12 armies of angels?”  Jesus seeks protection from neither Human nor angelic forces.  Instead, he is fearless of the consequences arising from his claim to be “born .. to speak about the truth”  (John 18: 37)  .

    Such a claim to speak about the truth would appeal to a Jew because truth, in the context of the Old Testament Law and promises, concerns “God’s covenant integrity”.  To a Greek, truth is more of an abstract concept, given their background of worshipping many gods, each having their own stories and individual character.  To Pilate, a Roman military leader and political administrator, truth was an impractical concept.  He was convinced that military might and pragmatic decision making were the only feasible means of achieving his purposes of maintaining stability and prosperity within the area under his responsibility.  As such, he was convinced that Jesus was nothing more than a harmless philosopher.  (Craig Keener in John in The IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament p309) 

    What truth is it then to which Jesus Christ was a witness?  The Greek word used in the passage is “Aletheia”  (Strong’s NT225)  , meaning, what is not being hidden, or what is not being concealed, or what is manifest to all who look on.  (W E Vine in An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words Volume 4 p159)  The word involves the idea of the reality lying at the basis of or which is the essence of a matter.  It speaks of truth in all its fullness and scope, as it is embodied in the life and the actions and words of Jesus Christ  (W E Vine in An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words Volume 4 p159)  ; for he testifies to the truth about God, of God’s justice and of God’s love, so powerfully demonstrated to us and to the World by the Easter events.  Only those who are concerned with ultimate justice can perceive the nature of the Kingship of Jesus; not those who are merely concerned with the imperfect reflection of it as seen in the exercise of Human justice, nor those whose concept of it is limited to the exercise of force, be it military or political or judicial or cultural or social or industrial or religious force.  (Randolph Tasker in John p202) 

    We must either accept or reject this claim of Jesus to be the witness to the truth.  There is no middle path.  We read of Pilate’s response.  “And what is truth?” he asks derisively, implying that matters of truth do not concern him, and, therefore, that the claimant of such truth is equally of no concern to him.  And don’t we see this in our Society, where people seek to worship material things or to worship recreation or sport on a Sunday and not to worship the God of love?  In addition, there are those who seek to substitute the truth of what Jesus speaks with something else, and, therefore, equally deny the claim of Jesus to speak of the ultimate truth.  But the difference between these people and Jesus is that they seek to enforce the belief in their false truth by the exercise of power or force.  And don’t we see this in our Society, such as by the power that leaders of religious sects exercise over those who have been caught under their control.  And don’t we see this on the International scene, where terrorists of any and all persuasions undertake their cruel and violent acts either to punish those who don’t share their belief in their version of the truth or to enforce the belief in their version of the truth.

    Is it then a matter of “so what?”  So what if you believe the claims of Jesus?  So what if you don’t?  So what if you don’t seek to belong to the Kingdom of God?  So what if you seek to enforce others to belong to your kingdom of beliefs?  What does it matter, ultimately, because, in the very words of Jesus Christ, God’s kingdom is not of this Earth.

Screen 4

“God, who is, who was and who is to come”

Revelation 1: 4 & 8

    We find, though, in reading the first chapter of the Apostle John’s Book, The Revelation To John, that it does matter.  We read of God being described as the God “who is, who was, and who is to come”, meaning that God is the Lord of all of History, its beginning, its end, and all of that which takes place in between.  (Revelation 1: 4 & 8)  God describes Himself as “the first and the last”, “the alpha and the omega”,  (Revelation 1: 8)  that is, the first letter in the Greek alphabet and the last letter in the Greek alphabet, and, by inference, all that is in between, meaning that there is nothing that is not under God’s authority.  God is described as the “Almighty”, the omnipotent, the all powerful, again, an indication that there is nothing that is excluded from being considered by the light of God’s truth, that nothing is excluded from God exercising His love and His justice on His Earth.  (Revelation 1: 8) 

    How is Jesus described in the same passage?  Jesus is said to be ‘the Ruler of the kings of the World”  (Revelation 1: 5)  , quoting from Isaiah 55: 4 and Psalm 89: 27.  It is on this understanding that Pope Pius XI, in his Encyclical, writes of “princes and magistrates duly elected (being) filled with the persuasion that they rule, not by their own right, but by the mandate of the Divine King”.  (Quas Primas paragraph 19)  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals 

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“Christ must reign in our minds.  He must reign in our wills.  He must reign in our hearts.  He must reign in our bodies”.

  (Quas Primas paragraph 33)  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals 

  Jesus is described as coming “on the clouds” and being visible to and acknowledged by all people on Earth,  (Revelation 1: 7)  , quoting from Daniel 7: 23 and Zechariah 12: 10.  It is on this understanding that Pope Pius XI, in his Encyclical, writes that “if this power embraces all (Humanity), it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from His Empire.  He must reign in our minds.  He must reign in our wills.  He must reign in our hearts.  He must reign in our bodies”  (Quas Primas paragraph 33)  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals 

    Pope Pius XI writes that it is only “when (people) recognise, both in private and public life, that Christ is King, (will) society at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony”.  (Quas Primas paragraph 19)  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals 

  The Apostle John puts it this way, that Jesus Christ, “the Lamb (of God), who is at the centre of the throne, will be (our) shepherd, and .. will guide us to springs of life-giving water.  And (that) God will wipe away every tear from (our) eyes”.  (Revelation 7: 17)  The reign of Christ the King is not one of unfettered power, but that of a shepherd who cares for the sheep that belong to him.  (Rev Dr Andrew McGowan in a Sermon preached at Christ Church South Yarra on 20 November 2005) 

    To finish, I want to quote from a passage that presents a link between Christ, the baby in the manger, and Christ, the King.

    “The Lord Jesus Christ whom we exalt at Christmas is not just a baby in a manger.  He is not a character in a children’s story.  He is far more.  The first time he came, he came veiled in the form of a child.  The next time he comes, .. he will come unveiled, and it will be abundantly and immediately clear to all the World just who he really is.  The first time he came, wise men and shepherds brought him gifts.  The next time he comes, he will bring gifts, rewards for his own.  The first time he came, there was no room for him.  The next time he comes, the whole World will not be able to contain his glory.  The first time he came, only a few attended his arrival.  The next time he comes, every eye shall see him.  The first time he came as a baby.  Soon he will come as Sovereign King and Lord.”  (M Green p59) 

    May we truly accept the truth that Jesus Christ, our Lord, proclaims to the World.  May we truly seek to live our lives in the service of Jesus Christ, our King.  Amen.

We sing Hymn TiS 207

Verse 1 of 5

Jesus shall reign where’er the Sun

Does his successive journeys run,

His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore,

Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Verse 2 of 5

For him shall endless prayer be made,

And praises throng to crown his head,

His name like sweet perfume shall rise

With every morning sacrifice.

Verse 3 of 5

People and realms of every tongue

Dwell on his love with sweetest song,

And infant voices shall proclaim

Their early blessings on his name.

Verse 4 of 6

Blessings abound where’er he reigns,

The prisoner leaps to lose his chains,

The weary find eternal rest,

And all the sons of want are blest.

Verse 5 of 5

Let every creature rise and bring

Distinctive honours to our King,

Angels descend with songs again,

And Earth repeat the loud Amen.

Isaac Watts

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

[ sung to the tune Austria – there is no introduction]

[The YouTube is for another hymn so disregard the words – only the one verse is needed]

For the life that you have given,

For the love in Christ made known,

With these fruits of time and labour,

With these gifts that are your own:

Here we offer, Lord, our praises;

Heart and mind and strength we bring;

Give us grace to love and serve you,

Living what we pray and sing.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Prayers for Others

Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may become People of the Truth through listening to your Word, sharing our faith with one another, and giving witness to it in our decisions and actions.

We pray for the grace of detachment, that we may humbly surrender our plans and goals to you and follow wherever you lead us.

We pray for a transformation of our attitudes, that we may follow Christ in using our power and abilities to wash the feet of others, to speak up for those who are oppressed, and to help carry the burdens of those who are suffering.

We pray for all believers, that we may come to a deep realization that Christ holds our past, walks with us each day, and has a vision for tomorrow filled with compassion and hope.

We pray for a new understanding of authority, that we may recognize you as the source of all authority and use our authority in cooperation with you loving plan for Humanity.

We pray for all whose commitment to the truth brings them into conflict with social, government, and religious authorities, that they may learn from and be strengthened by Christ, the suffering servant of truth.  Please guide them as to how to answer when they are falsely accused.

We pray for leaders of government and the judiciary, that they may recognize that their authority comes from you and that it has been granted to them for the service of the Human community and not for their personal benefit or gain.  Please give to them the wisdom and insight that they need for the making of just and equitable decisions.

We pray for all who bear the marks of suffering, persecution, or oppression, that the World community may recognize their dignity as people loved by you, and work to alleviate their pain.

We pray for all seekers of the truth, that the Holy Spirit will lead them to the source of all truth and guide them to communities of faith where they are welcomed.

We pray for families, that members may speak the truth in love to one another and deepen their support for one another along life’s journey.

We pray for a spirit of gratitude, that we may recognize all our skills, opportunities, and freedoms as gifts from you and place them at your service of God and the service of one another.

We pray for all who are entrapped by poverty, that you will lead them to freedom and open the hearts of many to assist and encourage them.

We pray for those unable to provide for themselves, their families and their communities because of drought or flooding or political unrest and persecution.  As you provide for the least of your creatures, may you provide for their needs, now and in the future.  Place a conviction on the hearts of those who are oppressing others that they will recognise your authority over their actions and instead begin to work for the good of others.

We pray for all who are rebuilding their lives, that you will restore the sick to health, guide the unemployed to new opportunities, provide the needed resources to those recovering from natural disasters, and comfort those who are grieving.

We pray for the safety of all travellers, that you will protect all who are traveling this week and help them to have renewing visits with family and friends.

We pray for protection of the Earth, that you will guide World leaders and each of us in caring for the Earth and give us the courage to follow through on difficult choices to preserve our common home.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/ 

[Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions p85, David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of god’s People Year B p219]

Holy God, may your Realm of Love come for the insignificant, the unremarkable, and the over-looked people of the world; for the un-noticed and simply ordinary people; for the back-water sort of people who will never make much impact.

Holy God, may your Realm of Love come for those who are lost in their relationship with you, their relationships with others and their relationship with themselves. 

Holy God, may your Realm of Love come for the up-rooted, the exiled and enslaved; and the lost-rights sort of people who will seldom be seen or heard.

Holy God, may your Realm of Love come for the fearful, the terrorised and the abused people of the world; for those who are unjustly imprisoned or entrapped; for the voiceless people who will hardly dare to seek help.

Holy God, may your Realm of Love come for the subjugated, silenced and subdued people of the world; for the lonely, the lacking, the faded, the frightened; for the shadowy people unable to bring attention to their suffering.

Holy God, may your Realm of Love come for all persons with disabilities; for the redundant and poorly educated; for the timid and un-appreciated; for struggling people who have to strive for support and respect.

In the dynamic of your Love, may your Realm become a reality for them all.

(© 2011 Glenn Jetta Barclay, Aotearoa/New Zealand)

Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

We pray for Australia to be a compassionate leader in the Pacific, acknowledging our own power and impact upon the Island Nations, and accepting our task to serve with generosity, compassion and grace and so build relationships of healing and hope with Pacific nations.

President’s Reflection – NCCA

We pray for the Executive Leadership Team and the Board of Scripture Union Australia, that you will equip them with wisdom and guide them to make the right decisions in their leading of their ministry and mission throughout Australia.

We pray for the students in the Scripture Union Certificate IV Course in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care, that they are developing the skills and understandings needed so that they can serve you in these areas.

We pray for the Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School, that your Holy Spirit may be at work in the minds and hearts of the children who attend.  Please encourage those who lead the classes as they strive to present the Good News of the Gospel in interesting and attractive ways.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Chaplain at Bald Hills State School, that you will guide her as her interacts with the pupils and children at the School, that she will be aware of needs and of how to respond, that she is refreshed physically and spiritually so as to cope with what each day presents.

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care. 

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

And deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

Now and forever.  Amen.

We sing Hymn No TiS 228

Matthew Bridges and Godfrey Thring

Benediction 

(from Quas Primas paragraph 33)  Quas Primas – Papal Encyclicals    

  May Christ reign in our minds.  May Christ reign in our wills.  May Christ reign in our hearts.  May Christ reign in our bodies.  May God’s Will be done, and may God’s Kingdom come.

  And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Benediction Song

May the grace of Christ our Saviour  TiS777

Verse 1 of 2

May the grace of Christ our Saviour,

And the Father’s boundless love,

With the Holy Spirit’s favour,

Rest upon us from above.

Verse 2 of 2

Thus, may we abide in union

With each other and the Lord,

And possess in sweet communion

Joys which Earth cannot afford.

John Newton